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A woman from East Atlanta has been confirmed as the first person in DeKalb County to contract West Nile virus this year, bringing to seven the number of cases in Georgia, authorities said.
The woman, who is in her 50s, has been cured of mosquito-borne disease that can cause illness or death, the DeKalb County Health Council said Friday in a press release. The county had two cases of West Nile virus last year, one of them being deadly.
RELATED: The West Nile Virus toll may be extreme for some residents of Atlanta
The Georgian Ministry of Public Health has confirmed six cases of the virus in Georgia, regardless of the DeKalb case. This will probably be the seventh confirmed diagnosis, said DPH spokeswoman Nancy Nydam.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms, but some develop a bad fever and others can develop a serious illness.
At the end of August, a woman from Fulton County became the first confirmed case in this county, AJC.com reported.
MORE: Fulton County woman tested positive for West Nile Virus
Both counties recommend wearing an insect repellent, long sleeves at night and loose, light clothing during the day, to reduce the risk of attracting mosquitoes. It is also recommended to eliminate stagnant water in and around your house as stagnant water from flowerpots or other areas is good breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
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In DeKalb, technicians "regularly capture mosquitoes throughout the county, which are tested for the virus," as a precautionary measure, the county press release said.
RELATED: DeKalb mosquitoes are positive for West Nile virus
Only five counties in the state are testing the virus: Chatham, DeKalb, Fulton, Glynn and Lowndes. Last year, 34 people in Georgia were infected with the virus.
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